The present invention relates to printing systems and methods for printing with the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to printing systems with a plurality of ink jet cartridges that are configured to radially print directly on to the top surface of a circular media that is inserted into a CD drive mechanism, while the CD drive mechanism rotates the media in relation to a printing assembly.
In the art of dispensing fluidic ink objects as it applies to radial printing, there is a need to place ink objects accurately and precisely onto the spinning circular media to effectively use the mechanisms of radial printing. In a radial printing application, ink is placed onto a circular media as it is rotating. To properly place the ink, the mechanisms governing the print process must have as one of it""s inputs information relating to the instantaneous position of the disk with respect to the print engine emitting the ink. That information over a period of time translates to instantaneous angular position and velocity, which affects other aspects of radial printing such as pen firing frequency. Thus, in any radial printing system, a mechanism must be employed to provide the electronics governing the printing process with the information regarding the instantaneous position of the rotating media or disk.
Accordingly, there is a need for mechanisms for providing an instantaneous angular position of a rotating media for use in printing onto such rotating media.
The present invention relates to information circular recording media, such as an optical disc like CD recordable media (CD-R). For the scope of this invention, the terms xe2x80x9cCD-Rxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cCDxe2x80x9d are intended to mean all varieties of recordable media (e.g., CD and DVD).
More particularly, this invention uses a variety of methods to determine the instantaneous angular position of a spinning and typically circular recordable CD-R media to enable radial printing. This includes: using prerecorded timing information from the native wobble signal in pregrooved CD-R recordable disc media over the entire prerecorded disc area; using the timing-code information in the data track of an already recorded CD-R disc; or using an entirely independent encoding pattern pre-placed during manufacturing directly on the inner hub or outer circumference edge of the CD-R media coupled with an external encoder sensor. These signals are uniquely combined with a radial printing system to form a synchronized system for printing a label on the top surface of the recordable disc media while the disc is spinning, independent of recording, during recording or during playback.
The CD Standard Specifications Orange Book specifies in detail how CD-R media are to be pregrooved for use, which is well known in to those skilled in the art. Timing markings along a pre-grooved spiral track contains a wobble signal. This wobble signal provides CD laser head servo tracking alignment and clocking information to control disc spin rate. The native wobble is present throughout the prerecorded CD-R disc media, including the prerecorded track in the Power Calibration Area (PCA), the Program Memory Area (PDA), lead-in, data programming, or lead out areas. Alternately this invention uses the timing-code information in the post-recorded data area of the CD-R media.
The present invention uses several methods for sensing the angular position of rotating or spinning CD-R media to be utilized in a radial printing system. FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an example radial printing system in which the present invention may be implemented. As shown, the printing head assembly 210 is placed radially over the spinning CD disc 214. The synchronization system 204 uses signals from the CD servo 206 to sense the disc 220 (platter 201) spin rate or control the motor 208. Several embodiments of a radial printing system are described in the above referenced co-pending U.S. patent application by Bradshaw et al, which is incorporated by reference. Radial printing can be optionally performed on spinning media, even while actual CD recording is in process. As such, a radial printing system preferably determines the instantaneous angular velocity and position of rotating CD-R media to be able to print radially.
The present invention uses these signals on CD-R media in a unique way to provide angular position information for radially printing a label on the top surface of the CD-R media while it spins.